Secretary-General's video message for seminar of Special and Personal Representatives and Envoys (16-18 October 2007)

I am delighted to send warm greetings to all of you. I regret that I am not able to join you in person for what promises to be a productive and rewarding meeting. You have a rich and varied programme before you.

As my Representatives and Envoys, you have multiple demands placed upon you -- by the United Nations, by your other partners on the ground and in the global arena, and above all, by the countries, regions and people you are appointed to serve.

That means you have several roles to fulfill. You are responsible for the implementation of your mission's mandate. You personify the United Nations in the country or region in which you serve. You help lead a peace process in that country or region. You head up a peace operation or a political mission. And you are often the unifying force of UN activities in the field –of an extended and multi-faceted team.

In short, you are required to be a diplomat, a negotiator, a manager and a communicator all at once.

This seminar is intended to support you in your efforts to fulfill all these roles. It is an opportunity for you to share experiences, to gain new perspectives, to draw strength from each other, and to provide valuable feedback to your colleagues at Headquarters.

Dear colleagues,

Your advice, your recommendations and your insights -- which you often have to arrive at while operating in difficult conditions -- are of the utmost importance to me. I look forward to joining you again in two days' time for an interactive video session, where I hope to convey my own specific expectations of you.

For now, allow me to wish you a stimulating seminar. I thank His Excellency President Olusegun Obasanjo for agreeing to deliver the keynote speech, and for sharing his invaluable experience, expertise and vision. Let me also thank UNITAR for organizing the seminar, with the collaboration of the International Peace Academy, and in association with the UN System Staff College.

I hope you will bring all your energy and focus to the discussions, and I look forward to hearing about the outcome.

Thank you very much.